Events and Conferences
We get a lot of information and invitations to events. This will be a good place to share the information. Please advise what is or isn't of interest so that posts can be made accordingly.
This section lists issues - problems on the street network and related matters.
Issues always relate to some geographical location, whether very local or perhaps city-wide.
You can create a new issue using the button on the right.
Listed issues, most recent first, limited to the area of Cambridge Cycling Campaign:
Created by Roxanne (CEO) // 8 threads
We get a lot of information and invitations to events. This will be a good place to share the information. Please advise what is or isn't of interest so that posts can be made accordingly.
An application to pave over part of the very wide verge on Tendon Road (verge parking is banned) for additional parking space. We may not need to add our own objection, but it is interesting to note- especially should there be a future proposal for segregated cycling facilities here.
Cambridge
Application reference: 15/0448/FUL
Created by Rohan Wilson // 1 thread
See p26 of D+A Statement.
It's "bikes and bins", with cycles shown in garden sheds or to the rear of tandem car parking, ie inaccessible. The developer claims high sustainability and to favour walking and cycling. This being outline application an objection might produce improvement.
Created by Heather Coleman // 2 threads
I subscribe to the Histon/Impington/Milton/Longstanton e-cops mailing list. We are now getting daily updates of crimes in the sector.
I'm noticing a lot of thefts of cycles parked at the various busway stops. Actually the busway stops are frankly useless unless you do park a bike there. The one at Swavesey is a good half a mile from the nearest end of the village. The one at Longstanton is similar. Most of Histon is a fair old hike on foot from Histon station. I suspect many who use the busway from further afield keep a bike at the Science Park or Orchard Park to avoid the traffic queues or to actually get to where they want to go without having to go all the way into the city and back out again.
Does anyone else have any anecdotal data on a) numbers of people who cycle at one or both ends of their busway journey and b) cycle theft statistics?
I'm seeing reports several times a week. At this rate, it makes using a bicycle to get to and from the busway unsustainable.
Whilst the bridge over the cam is rebuilt, Grantchester Road is shut to motor traffic. Despite a lack of signs, the route is still open (sort of) to pedestrians and cycles
Martin Lucas-Smith // 1 thread
Alterations to car and cycle parking and vehicular access (part retrospective). Resurfacing of access road and provision of 3.5m high acoustic fence.
The Leys School The Fen Causeway Cambridge Cambridgeshire CB2 7AD
Cambridge
Application reference: 15/0503/FUL
Apart from the miserable remote location, has anyone else been having issues with the new exclusively double stack cycle parking?
1. My bike, a pretty normal size town bike, won't fit on the lower level because the basket won't fit under the beam mounting the upper level of the rack
2. Twice my bike has fallen out when removing it from the upper level. The wheel, also a standard size, isn't held firmly enough in the sliding rack when unlocked. The frist time it fell on me, causing minor injuries
3. The level of maintenance is abysmal, with obvious work required being left undone for weeks. The first instance of my bike falling out was a rack that wouldn't slide in so I was removing my bike to put elsewhere. Another time the bolts hoding a rack in had come off so the frame was loose and unusable. There are two frames on the side by the back of the racks which need refixing and have done as long as the racks have been where they now are
4. Why has the roadway got those obstructive plastic barriers all the way along, making access to the cycle parking very awkward? Such barriers are not placed between carriageway and pavements elsewhere
Created by Hester Wells // 1 thread
Churchill college are doing some construction, which has resulted in a new access built across the shared walking/cycling route on Madingley Road.
Richard G // 1 thread
Noticed recently there are a good number (>15) of bikes that look abandoned - rusty & flat perished tyres, at Trumpington P&R
I've not seen any notes about any clear outs for years
Cambridgeshire County Council as part of a Local Highways Improvement scheme proposes to install a Zebra Crossing on Albion Row, Cambridge. To allow for the Zebra Crossing, it is proposed to relocate the existing Residents Parking Bays onto the south east end of Mount Pleasant, replacing a length of the existing Pay and Display.
Martin Lucas-Smith // 1 thread
A proposal has been put forward to add bollarded access in this cut-through from Adam and Eve Street through to Burleigh Street, to avoid rat-running in the area.
Martin Lucas-Smith // 1 thread
The Newtown area (basically between the Botanic Gardens and Lensfield Road on the inner ring road) is a mass of one-way streets, rat-running vehicles, children being dropped off to the schools rather than cycling, and so on.
We should take the opportunity to work with locals to improve the area.
Martin Lucas-Smith // 1 thread
15/0398/FUL | Erection of student accommodation with 321 student rooms (following demolition of existing buildings), together with ancilliary accommodation comprising common/study rooms, porters lodge, laundry room, plant room, bin and bike enclosures, landscaping and associated infrastructure including a sub-station. | 8, 10 And 10A Cheddars Lane And 351-355 Newmarket Road Cambridge Cambridgeshire CB5 8LD
Usual issues to check out:
- Cycle parking (number, type and positioning)
- Access, in particular need for improvements to Newmarket Road
Created by Monica Frisch // 2 threads
The site used by Ridgeons (builders' merchants) on Cromwell Road in Cambridge has been identified by Cambridge City Council as a potential location for new housing in the future. As a part of this, Ridgeons and their team of consultants, along with Cambridge City Council, are working to develop a document called the Ridgeons Cromwell Road Development and Planning Brief (Supplementary Planning Document, SPD). This will provide guidance on access, land use, building types, open space and character for all future planning applications on the site.
Created by Simon Nuttall // 2 threads
The Speedwatch scheme allows the public to get actively involved in monitoring the speed of vehicles travelling through their neighbourhood. It is used in areas where speeding has been identified as a priority at quarterly neighbourhood panel meetings. The scheme is run by the force alongside the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Road Safety Partnership. It is about educating motorists in the law in relation to speeding and monitoring any trends in speeding in neighbourhoods.
Volunteers are trained to use speed indicator devices which displays vehicle speed. The registered owner of any vehicle seen exceeding the speed limit is sent an advisory letter from their local neighbourhood policing team, explaining that speeding is unacceptable to the local community.
Ongoing work on the development of the North West Cambridge site results in cycle paths being blocked at random intervals, and inappropriate pedestrian-oriented alternative provision makes the situation more, not less, dangerous for cyclists, forcing us into a narrow roadway with fast-moving traffic. With the increase in heavy traffic, road surface is also deteriorating rapidly - increasing numbers of large potholes, which can easily lead to pinch flats and other mechanical failures on dangerous, narrow sections where lack of cycle path of pedestrian walkway means here is no escape route.
Created by Heather Coleman // 2 threads
I noticed a poster at the junction of Elm St and Clarendon St a few days ago. As I needed a rest this morning I stopped to read it. Apparently ONLY the residents of the Kite area (and not all of them according to the note pinned below the poster) are being consulted on the closure of Elm St, as far as I can tell, at the Elm Tree pub, to motor vehicles. Allegedly access by cyclists and pedestrians will be unaffected (although if it's some kind of rubbish narrow everyone having to give way to everyone else design, some regular users might wish to take issue with this, and suggest improvements to the design).
There is no reference to this anywhere I can find online. If I wish to reply to this consultation (and as I'm not a resident, will my views be taken into account?), I will have to go back to the poster and copy down the email address on a bit of paper. Deadline is tomorrow.
However, as a DAILY user of Clarendon St, I feel my democratic rights are being are being totally undermined. It may well be that a very large number of residents are against this proposal. Looking at it, it looks as if, for the vast number of cyclists who cycle along Clarendon St, it will probably improve safety as there may be fewer motor vehicles trying to use the Elm St crossroads which is probably the dodgiest bit of this route. Therefore regular users of Clarendon St may well wish to support this proposal.
My question is: how can they have a consultation that's secret and only open to those who actually live in an area rather than all those actually affected? As far as I am concerned this is totally undemocratic to the extreme.
If anyone is passing the area in the next couple of hours and has the technology to take a photo of the posters and start a thread on here regarding it and posting the posters so we can look at them at our leisure, it might be helpful for those of us who might like to drop a quick email in support of this plan.
Created by Tom Corder // 1 thread
My work colleague crashed when crossing the painted roundabout this morning as it was icy and therefore very slippery (she didn't go around the painted area as there was a pedestrian on the road). As she was recovering she met another lady who had also just crashed and as they walked together away from the roundabout, a third cyclist crashed behind them.
It has been reported on the County Council highways fault page.
Martin Lucas-Smith // 1 thread
It appears that Sainsbury's may have acquired the Mace store at 78-80 Mill Road:
http://www.public-notices.co.uk/cambridge/view/13895/sainsburys-7
This could bring intensive lorry deliveries.
The nearest equivalent case, Tesco's planning application in 2007, envisaged two deliveries of 41 minutes from on Mill Road.
This location has no delivery bay, so deliveries blocking one side of Mill Road are presumably likely.
The shop already has planning consent for food sales (indeed, it is a Mace store) so may not result in any planning application.
Martin Lucas-Smith // 1 thread
Major new housing development, basically joining up East Road with Newmarket Road.
Issues relating to cycle parking quality and number.
Wrongly claims cycle route network in the immediate area is excellent.
Proposes no contribution to the Eastern Gate plan.
14/1905/FUL is the planning reference. Documents at:
https://idox.cambridge.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=NFRGTZDXJ7M00
Created by Hester Wells // 1 thread
https://www.scambs.gov.uk/content/cambourne
"Housing firm McA Developments has submitted proposals for the new homes on a site west of the town, along with two primary schools and a second secondary school.
The site extends from the tree belt to the west of Lower Cambourne to the A1198, and from the A428 in the north to the Caxton Bypass in the south.
Alongside the houses and schools, the developer has also proposed:
-Sports pitches and play areas
-Shops and community space
-Offices and light industrial employment areas
-Public open space
-Surface water drainage and landscaping
-Segregated cycle and pedestrian routes
-Alterations to an existing access off the A1198 and the redesign of the Caxton bypass and Cambourne Road roundabouts."
Created by Cllr Ian Manning // 1 thread
Creating this in order to allow a discussion thread about it.
Created by Hester Wells // 1 thread
There is un-allocated money available from northern area s106 agreements for Cambridge and South cambs.
The council are currently looking for suggestions on how to spend it, within the requirements for the projects, which include the local transport policy priorities for walking, cycling and public transport.
The map is not accurate for the area covered: it certainly includes north Cambridge, a bit of Castle, and Histon, but the map was only up briefly. Once the minutes for the North Area Committee are published the definitive map will be available.
Created by Hester Wells // 1 thread
Proposals for changes to Barton Road / Newnham Road junction, driven by residents requests for changes.
Created by David Earl // 1 thread
"Proposed residential development to erect 10 studio flats, following the demolition of existing building on site. | Victoria Road Cambridge Cambridgeshire CB4 3DU"
Cycle parking deficiencies
This map shows all issues, whether points, routes, or areas:
The most popular issues, based on the number of votes:
Martin Lucas-Smith // 29 threads
Proposed route along the rail corridor through Cambridge, part of which is in the Cambridge Local Plan.
Created by Rohan Wilson // 1 thread
I've visited Riverside to Waterbeach with William Rayner of county cycling team. He's revising signage here and providing it along the St Ives corridor, with the old NCN 51 being renamed Regional Route 24 (blue patch). We've decided finally to continue to sign NCN 11 from Riverside Bridge to Waterbeach Station, and he's looking at suitable (hopefully temporary) wording to advise to follow NCN 51 to Bottisham for destinations beyond Waterbeach, which will hopefully eliminate misrouting those from outside the area.
Our inspection of existing signs showed that only one new signboard was provided on completion 5 years ago of Riverside Bridge. Signboards still send people via Green Dragon. Sustrans considers signage is an important part of any route project.
The intention is to sign Milton Country Park as a destination, not as part of the route, removing route signs within the park, and probably retaining Coles Road as the signed route through the village, though it would be much preferable to have improvements past the shops and the village green, pubs etc.
Retaining the route to Waterbeach as NCN will help keep the gap in people's awareness.
I am planning to contact again the landowner of the missing link between Bottisham Lock and Fen Road, Lode with a suggestion for a low-level route, southeast side of the Bottisham Lode floodbank which is the route of the public footpath, where signs forbid cycling. It might be considered more visually acceptable. All parish councils are for the route, including the one of which he is a member.
Created by David MacKay FRS // 1 thread
Our campaign for safer walking and cycling to/from NWCambridge now has a petition and a first video (of five) summarising our position.
See our new video summarising our petition:
https://youtu.be/hIlQAzsU0js?t=1s
I’d be delighted if you could promote this to your networks. Time is of the essence because a Senate House discussion is coming up [3 Nov 2015], and I will report the number of signatures on our petition there. (But signatures after the date will still be useful.)
More information:
http://tinyurl.com/EddingtonSafety
The petition:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/EddingtonSafety
Anyone is welcome to sign the petition; we ask people to use the Comment field to let us know if they are University Member / University employee / City resident / SouthCambs resident / etc.
For twitter purposes the recommended hashtag is #EddingtonSafety and there is an @EddingtonSafety account too.
Thanks very much
David
David J C MacKay FRS
djcm1@cam.ac.uk
Regius Professor of Engineering,
Cambridge University Engineering Department
Author of “Sustainable Energy - without the hot air” www.withouthotair.com
and “Information Theory, Inference, and Learning Algorithms” www.inference.eng.cam.ac.uk/mackay/
Girton resident and parent.
Cambridge Cycling Campaign Member
Created by David Green // 1 thread
My employer is planning to relocate from central cambridge to the Cambridge Business Park (near Waterbeach). There is currently no decent cycle (or footpath!) access to this business park which avoids riding along the A10. I am a confident cyclist but I am not looking forward to riding to work along sections of the A10.
Are there any plans for cycle route construction which the campaign can, perhaps, help accelerate?
Created by Hester Wells // 1 thread
There is a campaign for a cycle route between Bar Hill and Cambridge, also connecting Dry Drayton, Madingley and Coton to North-West Cambridge.
Currently cycle provision for these villages is poor. Bar Hill has lower rates of cycling than other villages that are closer to Cambridge.
The campaign site is: http://www.bhddmadcycle.com/
Created by Simon Nuttall // 19 threads
The Reach Fair ride takes place on the early Bank Holiday Monday (May Day) in May.
The web page for it is:
http://www.camcycle.org.uk/events/rides/
The planning overview is summarised:
http://www.camcycle.org.uk/events/rides/timeline.html
I've created this issue to help plan this event.
Martin Lucas-Smith // 1 thread
The permeability gate between Hooper Street and Kingston Street is obstructive as it only allows passage in one direction at a time.
Given the ever-increasing amount of cycling in areas like this, it's time to get this replaced with a simple bollard arrangement that would allow two-way passage whilst still enable the emergency services to unlock for access in an emergency.
As the bridleway crosses Milton Road, it swaps sides of the busway, so most pedestrians and cyclists want to cross diagonally. However the toucan crossing only protects people crossing Milton Road. It doesn't stop busway traffic.
This is confusing and dangerous. When the road traffic stops at red lights, and the Toucan crossing turns green, it feels very safe to cross the busway. Yet buses can come from three directions (busway west, busway east, Milton Road south) at speeds of 30 mph.
Cyclists in particular are tempted to cross diagonally from north west to south east. Last week I saw a near accident.
Created by Robin Heydon // 9 threads
The A14 is a very hostile, dangerous road for cycling.
Improvements to it, as well as broader changes to the national framework for cyclist crossings of major roads, are needed.
Created by Cllr Ian Manning // 1 thread
The County appointed an officer back in June to review parking policy across the County, starting with the City.
Vehicles are continually abusing cyclists who use the road here because the bus lane on the other side forces the carriageway to be narrow.
Although there is the cycleway, it has the usual problems of loss of priority at sideroads, bins in the way, people going in and out of driveways, etc.
Martin Lucas-Smith // 10 threads
Milton Road, like other main roads in the city, is a mix of typically bad bits of cycle infrastructure. There is considerable scope, possibly within the City Deal funding, to rework the whole streetscape to Dutch standards.
Created by Robin Heydon // 1 thread
The Cottenham to Histon cycleway needs improvement.
Created by Anne Clarke // 1 thread
The current Barton to Cambridge off road cycle path starts at the White Horse in Barton. During term time Cambridge bound traffic is now backed up and slow moving throughout Barton along the A603. This leaves no clear safe route for cyclists. The road has white hatchings down the middle and would be wide enough for a proper on-road cycle lane to leave a safe passage past the queuing vehicles.
Martin Lucas-Smith // 1 thread
There's a very poor dogleg right-angle with barriers at the entrance/exit from the West Cambridge site to Clerk Maxwell Road.
This should be turned into a wide splay with good visibility.
Created by Colin Bell // 1 thread
Has there been any improvement in the "new" NCN 11 route from Waterbeach to Lode since last summer? Last time I went that way I had to wheel the bike across fields and carry it over two or three stiles.
Any information, including a forecast date when a proper route is likely to be built, welcome. Thanks.
Starting a thread about this application here so we can continue on from the previous planning list discussion.
Martin Lucas-Smith // 11 threads
Major planning application here - c. 10,000 homes
Created by Simon Nuttall // 3 threads
The railway line from Cambridge to Newmarket turns out across Coldham's Common and right through the middle of Cherry Hinton, and then carries on passing to the north of Fulbourn.
There are currently (2013) two main routes from the east of Cambridge to Cherry Hinton - the Tins and Snakey Path. However both have long very narrow sections involving pedestrian conflict.
The railway line is single track - but satellite images show the bridges crossing Barnwell Road and Coldham's Lane were both built for dual track. So this means there should easily be enough room to accommodate a cycleway alongside the railway.
This route could then connect up with the Chisholm Trail and provide a direct fast cycle route to and from the city and the Science Park area.
Created by Robin Heydon // 2 threads
The Landbeach Parish Council would like the bridgeway from Landbeach to Cambridge to be upgraded to a cycleway.
Martin Lucas-Smith // 4 threads
London Cycling Campaign has reorientated its policy towards a 'Go Dutch' approach.
This aims to learn from best practice abroad rather than continuing with the 'hierarchy of provision' that, in 20 years in the UK, has arguably failed to deliver meaningful change.
This is an overarching issue for conceptual discussion of this issue.
Created by Jamie // 1 thread
At the moment it is possible to cycle from Cambridge Road, near Madingley, to Girton, on a bridleway that crosses over the A428 and then passes under the M11 at the Girton Interchange. You can then cross three roads (A1307) and reach a pavement on the North-East side of the Interchange. Using the pavement you can then reach Washpit Lane and cycle up towards Girton. (The pavement is marked as a shared-use route on the OSM Cycle map, although I am not sure that it really is.)
Apart from having to be careful when crossing the A1307 junction it is a rather pleasant route to ride.
The Girton Interchange is being "improved" to reduce the bottleneck for cars. Does anyone know what plans there are to ensure that the current route through remains open and whether there are plans to improve the bridleway route through? Or will this be another example of roads being developed to the detriment of footpaths/bridleways.
Martin Lucas-Smith // 1 thread
Cherry Hinton Road is currently mainly typical 'blue sign on a pavement' provision, despite having the edge-to-edge width in places for proper cycle provision. A longer-term objective should be to upgrade this.
Created by David Earl // 4 threads
There are some evil short grey posts on the busway cycleway that are really hard to see in the dark. I have heard of a number of people hitting them with disastrous consequences
Created by velocipedus@gmail.com // 12 threads
Project Orange is an attempt develop our general strategy during the year 2013.
It involves
1) Should Cambridge Go Dutch (or Copenhagenize)
2) A more assertive stance in our interactions with agencies: Demanding of them to make feasible what seems infeasible
3) focus on a regional area 10 miles (15 km) around Cambridge and a dartboard network structure to connect villages,
4) the development of a Bicycle Infrastructure Assessment Tool (BIAC) which will allow us to grade and praise provision
5) Priority over sideroads as part of a Dutch-style approach
5) Development of Visualisation Tools for major projects (Chisholm Trail, Newnham to Newmarket Rd, Mitcham's Corner)